The Crook County District Attorney determined the fatal shooting of a man by a sheriff’s deputy last month was justified.
Nick Rodin was shot by Crook County Sherriff’s Deputy Steven Hatcher after an encounter on a gravel road in Juniper Canyon.
The incident took place February 4th on SE Maphet Road about 10 miles south of Prineville.
The victim called police saying he had a gun and a knife and to get to him before he hurt someone.
In her statement today District Attorney Kari Hathorn says the use of deadly force by the deputy was lawful under Oregon Law.
Rodin was shot twice after defying multiple orders to get on the ground and reaching toward his waist band.
No knife or gun was found at the scene.
Body camera video from the incident shows the tense moments leading up to the shooting.
And a warning, while it does not show the actual shooting there is the sound of gunshots and the video might be hard for some to watch.
To the frustration of family and friends, few details were released before the DA’s decision on Friday.
A week after the shooting a dozen people with signs reading “Never Forget” and “Fight for Nick”, lined the sidewalk along NE 3rd Street by Prineville’s Pioneer Park.
“I talked to him the night before it happen he called to tell me he loved me and he was doing good,” said Rodin’s mother Leeanne Lamance who traveled from her home in Oklahoma the day after her son was killed.
It wasn’t Rodin’s first brush with law enforcement, he had been in and out of jail, served prison time, and had a warrant for a parole violation at the time of the shooting.
“Just because of the type of person they thought Nick was doesn’t mean he deserved to be treated like this,” said Lamance.
She went on to add that Rodin had a diagnosed mental illness that many in local law enforcement knew about, and because of that the interaction should have been handled differently.
Portland attorney Michael Fuller tells Central Oregon Daily News his team respects the DA’s decision and it is the decision they expected.
Now they are reviewing the evidence and preparing for a civil trial.
Below is the full release from the Crook County District Attorney.
releae pg 8
